The first two posts in this series explored urbanization and digitalization. We now look at sustainability, which is a megatrend that has historically shaped the coatings industry and will remain a key driver for years ahead.
Sustainability involves designing, producing, using, and disposing of materials to minimize environmental harm while preserving resources for future generations. European manufacturers, in particular, are under a unique set of pressures driven by some of the world’s strictest environmental regulations, including the European Union (EU) Green Deal and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). These rules require continual reformulation of products to lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and embrace bio-based and other renewable raw materials.
In response, companies are not only reengineering their formulations but also revamping production processes to align with green and circular economy principles. As a result, environmental sustainability has become key to industry strategy, offering an immediate competitive advantage in markets where eco‑credentials are highly valued by both regulators and end users.
Across Asia, governments and consumers alike are increasingly concerned with environmental degradation and air quality. This growing awareness has pushed manufacturers to develop low‑VOC and VOC‑free coatings, as well as formulations that incorporate recycled or bio‑based materials. In markets such as China, where environmental regulations are tightening to combat pollution, sustainability is becoming a strategic imperative. Furthermore, with the region’s rapid industrial growth and construction boom, there is a heightened drive to reduce the ecological footprint of manufacturing processes and end products.
Bio-Based Materials
Demand for bio-based raw materials is growing as consumers favor products from renewable resources over petroleum-based alternatives. Beyond reducing reliance on finite fossil reserves, bio-based coatings often offer a lower carbon footprint and greater biodegradability than petrochemical options.
Bio-based coatings draw from a variety of sources, such as corn, soy, sugarcane, algae, and other once-living organisms. A common strategy is to replace part of the binder (or its precursors) with bio-based materials, enabling significant renewable content. Soybean oil, a longstanding raw material in alkyd binders, exemplifies this approach.
Consumer appeal drives companies to prioritize bio-based efforts in coatings marketed toward consumers. One example of this is AkzoNobel’s Rubbol WF 3350, launched in February 2025, which is a waterborne wood coating with 20% bio-based content. AkzoNobel describes the product as a sprayable opaque coating that is suitable for interior and exterior use. The company claims it matches the high performance standards of equivalent coatings, even in the harshest weather conditions.
Another example is Liquitex’s Bio-Based Heavy Acrylics, marketed to artists as “the world’s first bio-based pro-grade fine art paint.” This North American brand replaces 50% of its acrylic resin with bio-based materials and substitutes other ingredients with renewable alternatives where available, pledging further adoption as options emerge.
Acrylic manufacturers are also advancing, with BASF’s 2-Octyl Acrylate (2023), made from castor oil with 73% bio-based content, and Arkema’s ethyl acrylate (2023), produced solely from bioethanol with 40% bio-carbon content. These monomers enable the development of polymers for various coatings applications, from decorative paints to industrial finishes.
Globally, changes are apparent throughout the vertical supply chain. AkzoNobel has reformed its product portfolio by expanding its range of waterborne and powder coatings. These formulations are designed to lower VOC emissions and use renewable, bio-based raw materials. Hexion has advanced its development of waterborne and high‑solids resin systems. By replacing conventional, fossil fuel-derived chemicals with bio-attributed alternatives, Hexion supports a reduction in environmental footprint while maintaining the performance expected of high-quality coatings.
Resin manufacturer Worlée has taken advantage of the thriving regional cultivation of the camelina plant in Germany to develop a series of functionalized camelina oil-based resins, capable of application in alkyd resins, polyurethane systems, and dispersions. The camelina plant, a non-food crop requiring minimal water and reduced levels of pesticide, is an example of climate-adaptive agriculture.
Additives supplier Evonik has introduced a range of 100% plant-based biosurfactants made via the fermentation of sugar. These glycolipids are fully biodegradable and exhibit enhanced wetting and color retention properties in waterborne coatings.
Ecoat in France has secured significant investment to scale up its production of sustainable, bio-based paint binders, which are designed to replace petrochemical-derived polymers and lower GHG emissions throughout the coatings’ life cycle. The company’s Secoia® 1501 product is part of a drive to reduce the environmental footprint of coatings, particularly for indoor architectural applications.
Molecular Recycling
Often referred to as “advanced” or “chemical” recycling, molecular recycling is another topic that is gaining traction in the coatings industry. This term refers to processes that break down complex materials such as polymers into their fundamental building blocks using chemical reactions. Unlike mechanical recycling, which often degrades quality, molecular recycling yields raw materials that rival virgin feedstocks in purity and performance.
Given the mass-balance approach typically used to track recycled content, we’ll focus on companies pioneering molecular recycling and the coating materials leveraging their outputs. Two leaders in this space are Eastman Chemical Co. and Trinseo.
Eastman’s Polyester Renewal Technology (PRT), recently scaled to initial production, employs methanolysis to convert polyester waste into basic monomers. These recycled monomers feed into new polyesters for applications like coatings, with Eastman reporting a 20-30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based processes.
Similarly, Trinseo’s polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) depolymerization facility, opened in June 2024 in Rho, Italy, uses advanced chemical recycling to transform PMMA waste into high-purity recycled methyl methacrylate (rMMA). The company claims its rMMA matches virgin material performance with a significantly lower carbon footprint. This rMMA can be used to develop acrylic resins and latex binders for a variety of applications, including paints and coatings.
Low-Carbon Coatings Technologies
Coatings manufacturers are also investing heavily in technologies that reduce emissions during both manufacturing and application. Powder coatings, waterborne formulations, and high-solids systems continue to gain traction as companies seek to minimize volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and reduce energy consumption.
Recent product launches illustrate the continued innovation in this area. PPG introduced its ENVIROCRON® Extreme Protection Edge Plus powder coating system, designed to provide enhanced corrosion protection and improved edge coverage for metal substrates while supporting lower-VOC finishing processes.
DIC introduced its water-based barrier coatings in 2023, initially for trial applications in the Indian market. These coatings are designed to enhance the performance of packaging substrates by improving oxygen barrier and sealing properties. By using a water-based system instead of traditional solvent-based formulations, the company is able to significantly reduce the emission of VOCs and lower the overall environmental footprint. This transition to water-based technology not only minimizes the reliance on petroleum-derived chemicals but also supports the shift toward more eco-friendly packaging solutions.
As regulatory pressure and corporate sustainability commitments intensify worldwide, demand for lower-carbon coatings technologies is expected to accelerate.
The next post in this series will detail the mobility megatrend, including issues related to electrification and autonomous vehicles.
Contributors: Crystal Morrison, Ph.D.; Eric Casebolt; Philip Marsh; Wayne Daniell, Ph.D.
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